Friday night’s game between the Midway Greenwaves and the Oneida Indians was one of the most anticipated games of the season. Oneida, projected (perhaps self-projected) to win the Region, squares off against a Midway team who has beaten them 5 straight years.
Pulling into the parking lot just minutes before kick-off and it was easy to see..this was a big game. The home crowd was the largest that I’ve seen in recent years and many Midway fans made the trip up the curves of Highway 27. The game lived up to the hype.
Midway would receive the opening kick-off but the excitement was short lived as Midway’s QB, Quinton Pressley, twisted his ankle on the play and would miss the opening drive.
Midway’s first play of the game was a pass play that would fall incomplete…on the 2nd play from scrimmage, Will Poe will get free for 15 yards but a solid hit on the ball forced a fumble and Oneida recovered. Oneida would later score to take the early lead, 7-0.
But Midway would answer. On a 3rd and long, Ray Robinson busted up the middle for a big gain and put the Waves in Oneida territory. A few plays later, Pressley found a wide-open Mark Childers on a post route for an easy touch down. With a minute remaining in the 1st quarter, the score was knotted up at 7.
Both defenses tightened up in the 2nd quarter, forcing punts from both teams. With less than 2 minutes remaining in the half, Oneida orchestrated a nice drive and capped it off with a touch down pass with less than 60 seconds remaining to take a 14-7 lead into the half.
Oneida used the momentum to their advantage to start the 2nd half. After a kick-off return to mid-field, the first play of the 2nd half an Oneida running back got free on the outside and raced down the Midway sidelines to put the Indians up 21-7.
The Midway defense tightened up for the remainder of the game, allowing only a field goal. Midway managed a nice drive that put them deep in Oneida territory at the end of the 3rd quarter. To start the fourth, a 3rd and goal play saw Will Poe catch a tipped pass for a touch down and cut the lead 24-14.
Oneida would ground-and-pound the ball much of the 4th to milk the clock. The Indians were driving for what was destined to be a touch down, but the Raven came on a stunt from the outside linebacker position and forced a fumble, Oneida’s only mistake of the game. With roughly 3 minutes remaining and Coach Moser nearly shirtless, Midway had life and was playing to win.
But the celebration was short lived. The Waves were unable to convert a first down, and after 4 straight passes, would turn the ball over on downs and Oneida would hold on for the 24-14 win.
It was a great effort by the boys from the south but Oneida was the better team this night. We did learn several things on this night. 1) Oneida is probably not the team to beat in the region..Greenback may be that team. 2) Coach Moser has nearly perfected the “Wheaton Shuffle”. 3) And finally, football is just a game..seeing Jacob “Neo” Franklin take the field for the first time this season was bigger than any play or region championship that may have come from the game.
The Waves will again return to Highway 27 on Friday to face a much improved Sunbright Tiger team.